


I Only Ride Bareback

by QuincytheHen



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Horsies!! who doesnt love horses, Multi, Rating will be increased as needed, equestrian sports, haru doesnt strip, ie, minor romance sideplot, slight personality tweaking, sports switch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 17:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1008203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuincytheHen/pseuds/QuincytheHen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Equestrian AU</p><p>"Passage to C." The robotic voice of the calling tape deadpanned the loudest noise in the otherwise silent ring.</p><p> </p><p>A single boy, atop a fleabitten gray pony abides by the voice's command, starting a slow, collected trot. He counted the amount of seconds it took for the elderly mare to pad her feet to the ground. Perfectly spaced, just as he had hoped. Like she's trotting underwater, the voice of his instructor said in his head. Instinctively, he went over proper stance in his head. Back straight. Heels down. Eyes forward. Hands at the control line. Everything corrected itself automatically, in perfect unison."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt can be found here: http://marukaprompts.tumblr.com/post/63966726172/au-where-th-boys-do-horseback-riding-instead-of  
> I'm sorry this chapter is so short- think of it as a prologue! I want to see if people like the idea before I get too into it...
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_"Passage to C."_ The robotic voice of the calling tape deadpanned the loudest noise in the otherwise silent ring.

  
A single boy, atop a fleabitten gray pony abides by the voice's command, starting a slow, collected trot. He counted the amount of seconds it took for the elderly mare to pad her feet to the ground. Perfectly spaced, just as he had hoped. Like she's trotting underwater, the voice of his instructor said in his head. Instinctively, he went over proper stance in his head. Back straight. Heels down. Eyes forward. Hands at the control line. Everything corrected itself automatically, in perfect unison.

  
Haruka's been at this for a while now, almost an hour after practice ended. And his pony, an old, easily irritated thing, made sure to remind him by snorting after every single command. He gave her a gentle pat to the withers, a sign meaning he was nearly finished, just this last tape.

  
 _"Extended canter to B."_ The voice piped up.

  
The raven-haired male's eyes travel to the marked point, and he urged his partner forward with a small kick, invisible to the imaginary judges. The gray mare followed loyally, her legs expanding to full capacity as she cantered smoothly across the angle.

  
Two other children, around Haruka's age, were sitting on the bench on the other side of the ring's fence. They always stay to watch their friend continue even after the designated practice tome without fail- helmets at their feet.

  
"Haru-chan's amazing," the smaller of the two, a blond with pinkish eyes and an awed look on his face gushed, "he looks like a professional!"  
“Yeah! That would have been a nine at the very least.”

  
“He’s super graceful. He looks like he and the horse are one unit, right, Mako-chan?”

  
The brunet gave a small hum of agreement, a fond smile on his face. He slowly began standing as he heard the last set of instructions chime monotonously, "Half-pass to X. Bow.", and opened the gate to greet Haruka whilst he was dismounting.

  
"You did really well as usual, Haru-chan." He beamed, the smile on his face growing. Haruka gave him a disinterested glance while he fished a few sugar cubes from his pocket to feed the mare.

"Drop the '-chan' already.”

  
The brunet simply chuckled as the small blond from the bench rushed as quickly forward as he could without startling the pony. “Mako-chan! Haru-chan! We have to hurry home, though, it’s getting dark.”

  
“I have to clean up first, Nagisa.” Haruka reminded, loosening the bridle of the pony, which was the only needed step to his cleanup, as he rode bareback. Again.  
With both Makoto and Nagisa chattering loudly in his ears as they walked through the exit gate, he didn’t even notice the sound of hooves clicking into the spot they once left until the automated voice of the CD restarted itself. “Pirouette to D.” This caused all three boys to freeze in place and turn, with the ears of the old mare twitching in annoyance, the promise of her stall once again postponed.

  
This new rider, fiery red hair poking out from under his helmet, did as he was told just as any good dressage rider would, passing a glance to the other three. He grinned widely, removing one hand from his reins to wave. “Hey. You’re Nanase, right? I’ve heard about you."

  
\--

  
It’s been five years since then. Haruka spent a lot of time in the barn, a few ways away from his home, which he lives in alone since his mother and father left for work. He decided to stay on his own. He’d have to leave them eventually, after all, and he didn’t sit well to a change in location.  
Plus, if he lived in Tokyo, he’d be _so far_ from his barn.

  
It was the early hours of the morning, and he was resting in the stall with his horse. He’s grown out of the old pony, Kamiko, he remembers fondly, who died of old age while he was still young.

  
This horse, Jiyū, was Haruka’s pride and joy, a true, honest-to-god not-fading black gelding, 16.2 hands high, and sleek, shiny fur that Haruka kept clean at all costs.  
At the current moment in time, the two standing in the recently mucked-out stall, Haruka’s brush-clad hand streaking across his sleek fur, Jiyū's nose snuffling through the new floor bedding for any hay morsels Haru may have missed while sweeping out the stall. With no such luck, the horse snorts and straightens his neck idly.

  
The two remain, completely silent together in a calm, serene matter until the sound of the heavy barn door opens. Footsteps head toward the stall at the end of the row, pausing in front of each of the three stalls before hand with a soft, gentle and cheerful, “Good morning!” to each horse residing there. The sound of crunching signaled a morning carrot to each.  
Once the footsteps finally reached the end, they paused, and Haruka looked up to see bright green eyes peeking over the front of the stall.  
Makoto smiles at his friend, who, despite being covered in the inevitable dust and flies associated with his beloved sport, looked quite happy to be lying there. “Good morning,” He opens the stall door, reaching out his hand to help him stand, “Haru-chan.”

  
Haruka blinks slowly, taking his best friend’s hand and pulling himself up. “Again, drop the ‘-chan’.”

  
Jiyū whinnies softly, hopping to his feet and began making his merry way out of the stall, until he was stopped by Makoto’s gentle hand on his chest and the door closing, making him snort irritably, but the action was forgiven almost immediately when a carrot was put in front of him.

The two make the short, two-block walk to Haru’s actual house, a small building intended for a family but now only houses one, so the black haired boy could change out of the dusty black tee and riding pants he was currently wearing.

Of course, this isn’t the case, as Haru just pulls the jacket of his school uniform overtop of the dirty shirt, and since the pants were the same color as his slacks he insisted there was no need for changing them. Makoto was, however, able to convince him to put on a different pair of shoes, as the rubber boots used for mucking stalls were _defiantly_ not going to be adequate for school. After cooking a quick meal of cinnamon apple slices, they headed out the door and onto the sidewalk.


	2. Arena of Reunion!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is technically chapter one, but, eh...
> 
> Phew... This one was written at the last minute- I had a really busy week!

Their morning routine was as consistent as the rising and setting of the sun, with Makoto chattering about this and that while Haruka half-listens silently, his eyes turned towards the sleepy horizon while Makoto promises afternoon rides after school ends, picking bedding out of Haruka’s raven hair and flicking it towards their feet.

The air was still hazy and cold with the slowly fleeting traces of winter, hanging stubbornly to the landscape while spring struggled to take its rightful place. All trails and outdoor rings were deemed unusable, the cold biting at hands and hooves alike. It left the black haired boy longing for outdoor jumps and trail rides.

“I hope it gets warmer so you can ride outside again.” The taller of the two said wistfully, as if cued. In retrospect, it could be quite annoying, being read by someone else so easily. But, on another note, it paid to have a translator every now and then. Haruka grunted positively in response.

Upon entering the school building, Haru was stopped by at least three teachers, asking if he wanted a cleaner pair of pants, with snide remarks regarding the sharp smell of dust and feed attached to him. He shook these off with a small shrug and continued his journey to homeroom.

He entered the classroom silently, moving quickly towards his seat in the farthest back row (near the window, of course. When in doubt the outdoors was enough entertainment to suit him for at least one period).

Over the course of time, other students flocked into the room, laughing and chattering away.  Makoto was among them, due to the fact his locker was farther away than Haru’s, and a few of the girls stopped him along the way to make small talk on their way to their desks. Haruka paid little to no attention to those around him, his eyes set on the gray morning sky. 

After the wave of students came a young woman, possibly in her late twenties. Short, brunette, and quite pretty as far as teachers go. She introduced herself as Miss Amakata Miho, and explained that she’d be teaching them all classic literature (which earned a groan from a few classmates). She then gave the class a pleasant smile, and raised her clipboard towards her face.

“Now, then,” she announced, taking her pen from behind her ear, “let’s take roll, shall we?”

Haruka braced himself. His name was quite feminine compared to the others, and was almost always without fail mistaken for female by his name alone.

“…Miss Nanase Haruka?” Came the expected cue, followed by quiet snickering.

Haru opened his mouth to correct her, but was cut off by his nearby friend; “Uh, Miss Ama-chan, Haru is actually a boy.” This was also followed by soft laughter, a flustered apology, and a roll of brilliant blue eyes.

Literature class went as slowly as expected, mostly filled with Miss Amakata (who, by an unspoken agreement with the class, was kind enough to be dubbed “Miss Ama-chan”) spewing unnecessary quotes by historical people no one else seemed to know or care about. Afterwards followed math, a class in which everyone remained completely silent when questions were asked and those doomed to be called on answered feebly to Mr. Auo’s  overly complicated algebra questions, and then social studies with Mrs. Nanami (aka, nap time for everyone involved).

When the bell sounded for lunch, the students quickly dispersed to the cafeteria, leaving only Haru and Makoto, who took a bento box from his bag. “Let’s eat on the roof, okay?” The taller suggested, to which his companion reluctantly obliged.

Lunch was eaten in relative quiet, as few ate on the roof and Makoto was too busy eating to focus too much on talking, but somehow managed to get a sufficient amount of conversation in. As they walked back down the stairs, Haru complaining about the relatively small amount of baked cinnamon apple in his lunch and Makoto offering his small amount of saved trail mix, a voice called from the lower level; “Mako-chan! Haru-chan!”

Both turned in unison towards the call, to notice a blond, waving wildly in their direction. They turned back to each other, a mutual look of confusion slowly evolving into realization and then shock. They snapped their heads back in the direction of the much smaller boy, with a unified, confused shout of, “Nagisa!?”

Nagisa, practically bursting with excitement but doing well to keep the majority of it contained, nodded in confirmation. He bounded up the last set of stairs to embrace the two, laughing loudly.

Makoto, chuckling along, returned the hug, while Haru was still in relative shock. 

Nagisa took the other two by the hand, leading them back up to the roof. “Let’s catch up a bit!” He suggested, although it sounded more like a command than a suggestion. The three old friends went to the ledge, with Nagisa sitting on the small brick barrier.

“Wow,” Makoto began, a small smile still on his face, “it’s been forever since we’ve seen you, since you changed middle schools and all.”

Nagisa’s grin widened, and he nodded. “It took me forever to find out what high school you guys were going to!” He leaned forward slightly, kicking his legs. “I also wanted to see the barn again, since I left Usa at Haru-chan’s barn, there’s no farmland near my place… And, I wanted to ride with you again. I loved seeing you guys in competitions!”

“I don’t ride competitively anymore.” Haruka stated simply, turning away.

“There’s not an equestrian club here, either.” Makoto added, hoping Nagisa would take the news better than he’d hope.

The yellow haired boy seemed absolutely scandalized. “Whaaaat!? But you were so good, Haru-chan!”             He jumped down from the barrier, grabbing Haru’s arm.

“It’s not like he’s stopped riding completely. He still loves horses; I still have to get him out of the stall on our way here.” Makoto mused, his fond smile growing.

“..That doesn’t mean he loves horses,” Nagisa said slowly, an accusing look on his face, “that just means he likes stalls.” He then turned back to Haruka. “we can start a mucking-out-stalls club! Let’s do that.”

Haruka’s nose wrinkled. “I don’t like mucking out stalls. The cleaning products hurt my nose.”

“Come ooooon!” The mahogany-eyed younger groaned, leaning against his elder friend.

Makoto chuckled again, watching the two bicker. _Somehow_ , he mused to himself, _I can tell this is going to be a very, very eventful school year…_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided (if y'all would like) to have a chapter paralell to canon one update, and then an all new scene the next! Spice it up a bit, lengthen the story, go through character development!
> 
> The chapters will increase in length once I get time to sit down and write them without interruptions.. XnX;; It's hard to write a decent story in the middle of the moving process, but I'm trying my best!
> 
> If you want to help me out in any way (correct my language regarding the disciplines, if I've missed something, or if you just wanna send some feedback) give me a message (via my tumblr, sarabonnefoy.tumblr.com is preferred)!
> 
> I know "equestrian club" sounds weird, but, it's a thing, so...  
> Iwatobi Equestrian Club it is, am I right? Haha...
> 
> See you in a few days! Thanks for reading!!
> 
>  
> 
> -Sara B.


	3. Time and Roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oi Vey, this week was worst than last!  
> I managed to pump out this one, though, thank god it's on time... I had to rewrite it repeatedly because my laptop was being stupid!  
> Special thanks to my first two commentators, Holly and Wilder! I read your feedback so many times, it made me feel so happy!  
> More info on that in the notes beneath the chapter.  
> Please, though, enjoy!

Time. It is the inevitable. Through it, we create history. We create dates and streams and points in our own reality that would unravel had it not been there to keep the fabric together. Fate. Something so affected by the stubborn pull of time's weight. It is both our present and future, and like everything else, will become the unalterable past. Both time and fate posses the power to sculpt a person, the power to scrape off a little here and rip a lot over there, the tight grip on every inch of humanity with the intention to twist sharply in one place and curve gently in the next.

 

Rin Matsuoka was no stranger to this fact. What was once a happy, bright adolescent child, whose eyes sparkled with enough hopes and dreams to fill all the stars in the universe and then some, was now an almost unrecognizable figure, bathed in hatred and rage, whose eyes shone with the anger of a burning, white hot sun, and the bitterness of a person twice his age.

 

Upon his return to Japan, a land he was born in, a land whose soil was oddly cold, distant and foreign, as if he was viewing it through a museum’s window, he had been completely drained.

 

He, as expected, did not return to his old home, where his mother and sister lived oh-so happy in their blissful ignorance to the source of his unfathomable rage. There were too many memories and unresolved issues there, waiting to be kicked up in a whirlwind of  drama, choking the air like years old dust recently unearthed from a rotting rug.

 

Instead, he lived as close to on his own as he could get; an all-boys boarding school a long ways away from his childhood neighborhood. Samezuka, it was called, known especially for its award-winning, high classed equestrian club.

 

He didn’t join. He couldn’t bring himself to. While his love for the sport, and his need and drive for competition still remained, he simply couldn’t put himself into the setting anymore. No matter how much the small fire, still burning deep in his gullet, a desire to compete, to ride, to _win_ clawed at him to return to the sport.

 

Instead, he focused on his studies, becoming top student in most, if not all of his classes and maintaining a tight schedule of _wake up, eats, study, go to all necessary classes, eat, study, and go for a run, sleep._ It was just enough to give him a small, fake sense of motivation to continue, to at least _try_ to be a functioning member of society. He could do that and only that.

 

However, it wasn’t long until this schedule was interrupted.

 

It was a crisp Saturday winter morning when he was called into the headmaster’s office, confused as to why he’d be summoned.

 

When he arrived, he saw that he wasn’t alone in the office. Besides the headmaster himself, there was another boy. The other male before him was pretty small, and he stood far off to the side, wringing his hands nervously. His bright blue eyes and silvery-gray hair, cut in a way that could only be described as childish, made him look especially young. He was fairly pale, and through the feminine line of his jaw Rin could see hw was gritting his teeth rather harshly. He seemed to be quite the quiet thing, and at the very least shy. Rin couldn’t recall seeing him around the school, so he stood in silence, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Ah, Matsuoka-kun,” the portly, graying man behind the desk chimed, breaking the silence, “this is Nitori Aiichirou. You will be sharing rooms with him as of today.”

 

 _Ah, I see…_ Rin thought bitterly, grimacing, _I get to baby-sit a little kid on top of everything else I have to do._

 

The silver haired boy, Nitori, stepped forward hesitantly and bowed to Rin at almost a ninety degree angle. “Hello, Matsuoka-senpai, it is my pleasure to meet you!” He greeted in the most girlish voice Rin had ever heard on a boy, even at the kid’s already feminine stature.

“…Senpai?” Rin’s grimace darkened, showing his disgust. “Don’t think I’m going to be mentoring you, kid.”

 

Nitori’s cheeks heated up, and his eyes downcast slightly. “Y-Yes, of course! I was just thinking that since we’re going to be living together, we could help each other with studies, and maybe club activities, and…”

 

Yes, the younger was still talking. The redhead had tuned him out at this point, simply staring down at him, scarlet eyes narrow and hardly blinking. At some point, though, he’d decided he’d had enough, and clicked his teeth, revealing the sharpened white bone to the shorter male for a split second. “Enough. Get your things so we can go back already, if you’re going to be sharing a room with me.

 

Rin could barely hear the quaint, “oh, right!” from behind him as he began out of the office, barely taking three steps before Nitori came running along behind him, multiple bags in hand.

 

“Ah, Senpai?” The gray haired one piped up as they went down the hall.

 

“I told you not to call me that. What is it.”

 

“I came to join the equestrian club. Are you part of it?”

 _Ah, so he also thinks he can ride, then? Pathetic._ “No.”

 

“Oh… Do you know _how_ to ride, then?”

 

“Yes. I’ve won multiple shows a while back.”

 

“Whooooa, really!? Why aren’t you in the club, then?”

 

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

 

“Oh. Sorry. What discipline did you ride? I ride dressage.”

“Cross-country.”

 

“Oh! I love watching people that do cross-country! It’s super cool!”

 

“Nitori.”

 

“Yes, Senpai?”

 

“Do you ever shut up?” Rin gave the shorter boy a glare, a hostile glint in his eyes.

 

Nitori sputtered for words for a second, and then got the hint, closing his mouth and looking towards the floor. The elder of the two snorted, rolling his eyes and glancing back forward.

 

They continued forward in silence until Nitori tripped over one of the straps on the multiple bags he was carrying and dropped them all, causing Rin to bend over and grab a few, sighing irritably and continuing forward.

 

After the long walk to the dorms, Rin juggled the bags into one hand and used his newly freed one to take his key out of his back pocket and unlock the door.

 

“Get yourself set up,” he grumbled, placing the bags down, “you get the top bunk and the desk closest to the door. And don’t bother me while you’re unpacking, I’m studying.”

 

“Yes, Senpai!” Nitori bowed once again, bending down to begin unpacking.

 

Telling this child to be quiet, it seems, is easier in thought than in practice. He talked to himself while unpacking, while putting the things where he thought they should go, asking Rin which drawers were his and what side of the bathroom sink he should put his toothbrush, and if Rin would prefer this or that or this or that or this or that or this or that.

 

Not much studying was done that morning, and since there were no classes that day, he was stuck in the dorm with the little shit sitting on the top bunk, chattering random questions and facts about himself and how lucky and grateful he was to be going to Samezuka and how great it was to have a roommate and how he and Rin were going to have so much fun together and wow, you’re fluent in English? Do you think you can teach me sometime? And etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

 

“For the love of _Christ_ , kid, stop running your _fucking mouth_ and read a book or something!” The redhead finally snapped after ten or so minutes, slamming his hands against the desk.

 

Nitori jumped with a squeal and a “Yes, Senpai!” and instantly shut up, his head ducking back from resting on the railing of the bunk.

 

 _This…_ Rin sighed, rubbing his temples and gritting his teeth painfully _is going to be the **worst** school year of my life…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another special thanks to Holly and Wilder, and due to the feedback given, changes were made in chapter one! No more pulling numbers out of my head, eh? Heheh...
> 
> This chapter is especially for Rin and Ai, because I love them so much and I promised a non-parallel plot chapter every other update.
> 
> That's all from me, now I'm gonna go take a nap...
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> -Sara B.

**Author's Note:**

> Free! Iwatobi Swim Club does not belong to me, nor do any of the characters in this fiction.  
> I myself am an advanced equestrian, but I'm not trained in Hunter or Dressage, so if I make mistakes on either discipline and any of you know something extra or something I missed, please feel free to tell me!
> 
> This will be a multichapter if you guys like it! So please leave a comment if you do! I'll update this every other Wednesday!!
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -Sara B.


End file.
